﻿Feeding Your Bunny(for rabbits over 6 or 7 months of age)

Bunny Diet Basics

[Percentages above are estimates. Other valid resources may vary slightly, but the proportions are very similar. ​Major bulk is hay, followed by greens, then a very small amount of pellets and even fewer treats.] ​

Another way to see a daily diet...

I've had some feedback that some people have difficulty visualizing percentages or pie charts. ​In response, I've created the following picture.

If your rabbit has not been fed greens before, DO NOT SUDDENLY START FEEDING THIS MANY GREENS.​It is necessary to gradually introduce greens. Click here to learn how.

The dietary requirements for indoor, fixed rabbits has been honed over the last decades. Knowledge about the needs of indoor rabbits has been increasing as old recommendations have been (slowly) dying. This research is helping the House Rabbit Society keep rabbit owners informed and up to date. Indoor rabbits are living longer and healthier lives as a result.

Some of the antiquated thoughts on what used to be deemed appropriate for rabbits can nevertheless still be found on internet searches and in book stores. Sometimes these are in regard to meat rabbits (fattened up quickly and killed young) or in regard to groups like 4H that treat rabbits merely as livestock rather than as household pets.

A healthy and proper diet for indoor rabbits is described here on this website.​There is list of diet-related links in ﻿resources﻿ as well.

﻿﻿﻿﻿﻿﻿﻿﻿﻿The Pet Rabbit Handbook (PDF) has more detail on feeding a rabbit. Once completed, the page pictured below flaps open to reveal the bunny food pyramid.﻿

﻿﻿An improper diet is the most common cause of﻿health-related issues in pet rabbits.

Fresh basil from a bunny herb garden​ is part of this rabbit's daily diet.

A Word About Hay﻿ - Why is it so important?

Hay is the best way to maintain a rabbit's digestive health and to keep his teeth trimmed.

A rabbit that does not get enough hay (or none at all) is prone to digestive problems. GI stasis is one of the most common causes of death in pet rabbits. Without sufficient hay, the digestive tract can slow down, gas may build up causing pain, bunny stops eating, and the tract becomes clogged. The fiber found in hay is the best way to prevent this.

Hay is also important for a rabbit's teeth. Since their teeth grow continually, they need the grinding motion from eating hay to keep those teeth trimmed down. The silica found in grass and grass hays act as an abrasive too. That silica also aids in grinding down those teeth as the jaw chews on the hay.

It should be noted that neither chew blocks/twigs, pellets, or hard veggies will grind the teeth down in this way. Only the chewing of grass or hay will do this.﻿

﻿Feeding a Young Bunny﻿(under 6 months of age)﻿

Younger rabbits that are still growing have different nutritional needs. This site encourages acquiring rabbits that are already fixed and would likely be over 6 months of age. However, for the sake of those with younger rabbits, the following is a brief summary of diet for juvenile rabbits. There is further information about feeding younger rabbits that can be found by clicking on the corresponding orange words below.